SYRIA_ Battle for Aleppo SYRIA Battle for Aleppo –July 2012

Battle for Aleppo intensifies Syrian conflict With 200,000 fleeing Aleppo, fighting in Syria intensified in the 16-month long struggle opposing the rule of Bashar al-Assad. While fighting still grips Homs after a brutal siege, the conflict has moved north to finally include commercial hub Aleppo - largely spared until now - a city of over two million. Both the Syrian army and the rebel Free Syrian Army claim advances in the battle for Aleppo, which began in earnest over the weekend. More pockets of conflict rage in other locations within Syria as well. Gathered here are images made available in the last week from Syria, where independent news coverage has been limited and difficult. Some of the images are from third parties and transmitted without confirmation via international wire services as they were received. - Lane Turner (32 photos total) Source : www.boston.com

A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad burns during clashes between rebels and Syrian troops in Selehattin, near Aleppo, on July 23, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages)

Doctors treat a wounded child allegedly injured by Syrian government forces shelling, at a field hospital in Qusayr on July 14, 2012. (Syrian opposition Shaam News Network/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrian men line up to buy bread at the only open bakery left in Al-Bueda on July 23, 2012. (Antonio Pampliega/AFP/GettyImages) #

A Syrian rebel enters a house in Selehattin, near Aleppo, on July 23, 2012, during fighting between rebels and Syrian troops. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrian rebels hunt for snipers after attacking the municipality building in the city center of Selehattin, near Aleppo, on July 23, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrians run for cover as a helicopter hovers over Aleppo on July 24, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

A Syrian girl lies on top of luggage at a makeshift refugee camp inside Iraq after crossing the Iraqi-Syrian border at Albu Kamal-Qaim, the main border post between the two countries, July 24, 2012. (Saad Shalash/Reuters) #

Syrian rebels break their fast with the iftar meal during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the northern city of Aleppo on July 24, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

A girl pauses on a street in Homs on July 25, 2012. (Yazen Homsy/Reuters) #

Fighters from the Syrian opposition rest in a former primary school in Aleppo on July 25, 2012. UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the world "to stop the slaughter." (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

The mother of Usame Mircan, who was allegedly killed by a Syrian government sniper, mourns over his body with family and friends in Aleppo on July 25, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Civilians take cover as fighters from the Syrian opposition clash with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on July 25, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Free Syrian Army opposition fighters detain policemen after overrunning the Shaar district police station in Aleppo on July 25, 2012. (Pierre Torres/AFP/GettyImages) #

A Syrian man carries badly wounded five-year-old Mohammed Amumrej after he was hurt during shelling by Syrian government forces in the center of Aleppo late on July 25, 2012. The boy later died. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Opposition fighters prepare home-made firebombs in Aleppo where rebel forces overran the Shaar district police station on July 25, 2012. (Pierre Torres/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrian people leave the city center after shelling by Syrian government forces in Aleppo late on July 26, 2012. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

Members of a Syrian refugee family walk through the Domiz refugee camp in the northern Iraqi of province Dohuk on July 25, 2012. The number of refugees that have fled to Iraq's Kurdistan region exceeds 11,000. (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters) #

A Syrian refugee family rests inside at the Domiz refugee camp in Dohuk province in Iraq on July 25, 2012. (Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters) #

A Syrian refugee girl looks out from behind the fence at Yayladagi refugee camp in Hatay province, near the Turkish-Syrian border, on July 27, 2012. (Umit Bektas/Reuters) #

Syrian mourners bury the body of a man killed in violence in Binnish in the northeastern province of Idlib on July 26, 2012. (Syrian opposition Shaam News Network/AFP/GettyImages) #

Women react at the graves of their sons, whom activists say were killed by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad, in a cemetery in Homs on July 27, 2012. (Syrian opposition Shaam News Network/Reuters) #

A man mourns over the body of a person allegedly killed during bombardment by government forces in Qusayr, near Homs, on July 27, 2012. (Syrian opposition Shaam News Network/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrian Kurds stand in the street in Jinderes, near Aleppo, on July 22, 2012, as Kurdish activists on the Syria-Turkey border started taking control of towns in the area without encountering much resistance from the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/GettyImages) #

A Free Syrian Army member takes position while people flee after hearing shelling in the Aleppo district of al- Sukkari on July 29, 2012. (Zohra Bensemra/Reuters) #

Free Syrian Army members interrogate a man who was arrested while stealing from vacant houses in Aleppo on July 29, 2012. (Zohra Bensemra/Reuters) #

A Free Syrian Army member walks past the body of what they say is a member of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's shabiha militia in the Aleppo district of al-Sukkari on July 29, 2012. (Zohra Bensemra/Reuters) #

Girls walk on debris next to damaged buildings in Marat al-Numan near the northern province of Idlib on July 27, 2012. (Syrian opposition Shaam News Network/Reuters) #

Fighters carrying food supplies run for cover along a street in the Salaheddin district of Aleppo on July 29, 2012. (Pierre Torres/AFP/GettyImages) #

Syrian rebel fighters celebrate on top of a tank captured from government forces at a checkpoint in the village of Anadan, near Aleppo, on July 30 2012, after a 10-hour battle. The strategic checkpoint of Anadan secures the rebel fighters free movement between the northern city of Aleppo and Turkey. (Iskandar Kat/AFP/GettyImages) #

A rebel fighter aims his rifle in the Salaheddin district of Aleppo on July 29, 2012. (Pierre Torres/AFP/GettyImages) #

People ride past a destroyed building during clashes between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and the Free Syrian Army in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A Free Syrian Army member stands near a destroyed Government army truck in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra Source : www.reuters.om

A Free Syrian Army member stands by his anti-aircraft machine gun during their patrol in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A destroyed tank of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's forces is seen after clashes with the Free Syrian Army in the Rasten area, near Homs July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Fadi Zaidan

A destroyed tank of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's forces is seen after clashes with the Free Syrian Army in the north of Rasten bridge, near Homs July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Fadi Zaidan A damaged tank of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's forces is seen after clashes with the Free Syrian Army in the north of Rasten bridge, near Homs July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Fadi Zaidan

A boy walks past an anti-aircraft machine gun belonging to Free Syrian Army members in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A burnt bus which belonged to forces loyal to Syria President Bashar Al Assad is seen at Aleppo's district of al Sakhour July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout

A woman carries her child while walking through the rubble in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A girl walks past a shop which was destroyed during clashes between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and the Free Syrian Army in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Free Syrian Army members patrol Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra Damaged buildings are seen at Marat al-Numan near the northern province of Idlib July 27, 2012. Picture taken July 27, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout

A Free Syrian Army member shows a shell which he said was fired by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Attarib, as a boy watches, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A member of the Free Syrian Army carries ammunition as he prepares for their patrol in Attarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo province July 30, 2012. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Damaged buildings are seen at Al-Assali neighbourhood in Damascus July 28, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout A man poses near a damaged Syrian army tank in the Damascus suburb of al-Tel July 28, 2012. Picture taken July 28, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout

A destroyed Syrian army tank is seen in the Damascus suburb of al-Tel July 28, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout A damaged building is seen in Deraa July 28, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout

A damaged vehicle is seen at Deraa July 28, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout Damaged buildings are seen in Al-Rasten near Homs July 27, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout

Demonstrators burn a photograph of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad during a protest at Yabroud near Damascus July 27, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout Demonstrators hold opposition flag during a protest against Syria's Presient Bashar Al-Assad at Yabroud near Damascus July 27, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout Demonstrators hold opposition flag during a protest against Syria's Presient Bashar Al-Assad at Yabroud near Damascus July 27, 2012.  REUTERS/Shaam News Network/Handout Qusayr, near the Lebanon border and close to the restive city of Homs, has been savaged by artillery bombardments from government forces.

A woman walks through rubble from a building destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevi

Men run during shelling by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Free Syrian Army fighters take a break from fighting with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A Free Syrian Army fighter is wounded during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A Free Syrian Army fighter holds his gun during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A Free Syrian Army fighter holds his gun during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Members of Free Syrian Army stand with their injured comrade after evacuating him from Aleppo on the outskirts of Idlib province August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A member of the Free Syrian Army flashes the victory sign on a captured tank after taking control of a checkpoint from government forces in Anadan, north Aleppo, July 31, 2012.  REUTERS/Obeida Al Naimi A Free Syrian Army fighter holds his RPG during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A member of the Free Syrian Army fires his weapon at a sniper position during clashes with forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad in Aleppo's district of Salah Edinne July 31, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A member of the Free Syrian Army fires his weapon at forces loyal President Bashar Al-Assad in Aleppo's district of Salah Edinne, July 31, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A man cycles past a destroyed Syrian Army compound in Azaz, north of Aleppo, August 3, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A boy plays with an AK-47 rifle owned by his father in Azaz, north of Aleppo, August 3, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A sniper from the Free Syrian Army takes position in Aleppo, July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Obeida Al Naimi A building burns after shelling at Aleppo's district of al Sukkari, July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A man looks at a destroyed Syrian Army tank in Azaz, north of Aleppo, August 3, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A boy climbs onto a destroyed Syrian Army tank in front of a mosque destroyed during clashes in Azaz, north of Aleppo August 3, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A Free Syrian Army member walks at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Aleppo, July 29, 2012.  REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra A Free Syrian Army fighter gestures during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo August 1, 2012.  REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic THE END